Wireless communications systems often include a plurality of access points (APs) which may be implemented, for example, as access nodes. In addition to APs, such systems often also include other network elements in addition to access terminals, e.g., mobile or other end node devices. In many cases access terminals communicate with access points via wireless communications links while other elements in the network, e.g., APs, generally communicate with one another via non-air links, e.g., fiber, cable or wire links.
As an Access Terminal (AT) moves in a system, and/or as airlink conditions change, the access terminal may lose or terminate a connection with an AP and may establish and/or maintain a connection with another AP. As a result, an AP which had an airlink connection with an AT may end up in a situation where it has undelivered packets which are to be communicated to an AT with which it no longer has a connection. Similarly, it is possible that an AT has undelivered packets intended for an application residing at an AP with which it previously had a wireless communications link but with which it no longer has a wireless communications link.
Accordingly, in many embodiments, it may important that ATs receiving an RLP packet be able to identify the AP which was responsible for generating the RLP packets to begin with so that the packets can be processed by a corresponding RLP module and the higher level packet, in the case of fragmentation, reconstructed therefrom.
It should be appreciated that there is a need for methods and/or apparatus which support the communication of packets or portions of packets between an AT and a non-serving AP by way of an AP with which a wireless terminal has a wireless communications link. It would be desirable if it were possible for an AT to send packets which were subjected to Radio Link Protocol processing corresponding to a non-serving AP to a serving AP with which the AT has a wireless communications link for delivery and final processing by the non-serving AP.